Mildred Francis Hess

BURLEY – Mildred Francis Combs Hess, age 94, a beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend, passed away in Burley, Idaho, surrounded by her family on Wednesday July 31, 2024.

Millie was born November 22, 1929, in Kansas City, Missouri, the fifth of six children born to Granville and Lottie Tharp Combs. Her siblings were Roy, Viola, Dorothy, Ernest, and Pearline. At the tender age of five years old her mother died suddenly. Her father remarried and, over the next few years, she gained seven half-siblings, Garland, Evon, Junior, David, Roger, Teresa and Benny Jo.

Millie graduated from high school in 1947 and followed her older sister to Idaho. After arriving, she was hired at the telephone company in Rupert, Idaho. Here, she met several of her lifelong friends whom she continued to stay in touch with up until the last year of her life.

She met and married Thurman C. Hess in 1950. Together, they had four daughters, Brenda Kay, Carolyn Mae, Dawn Marie, and Kimberly Ann.

Millie’s first priority was always her family. For many years, she was a stay-at-home mother and raised her daughters with strong values, fierce love and always put them first. Millie also had a strong passion for helping others. She began selling Mary Kay Cosmetics in the late 70s through the 80s. She enjoyed hosting parties and helping women to look and feel their best. During the years of 1986-1987, she purchased the Diet Center franchise in Burley and began her career as a weight loss consultant.

Millie was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church and was an active member of the United Methodist Women. She was also a member of the local Garden Club of Cassia and the Red Hat Society. She made dear lifelong friends and memories throughout the years in her various groups and with her church family.

Millie is survived by her daughter, Kimberly (Ty) Taylor of Burley; half-siblings, Garland Combs of Missouri, David Combs of Arkansas, and Benny Joe of Texas; her grandchildren, Matthew (Teresa) Buckley of Twin Falls, Jaime (John) Lloyd of Oakley, Preston (Amber) Buckley of Twin Falls, Christopher (Jessica) Rasmussen of Sundance, Wyoming, Elle (Kalen) Smith of Burley, Ethan (Tehia) Taylor of Rupert, and Eliza Taylor North Salt Lake City, Utah; and great-grandchildren, Austin (Lexi) White of Boise, Quincy Osterhout of Burley, Tristynn Lloyd of Burley, Ryan Lloyd of Idaho Falls, Jayden (Hannah) Stephen of Salt Lake City, Utah, Keva and Kason Rasmussen, Ziahla and Skylan Buckley, Beckett, Olivia, and Isla Smith, and Hadlee Taylor.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Thurman C. Hess; daughters, Brenda K. Hess Buckley, Carolyn M. Hess, and Dawn M. Hess Jensen; siblings, Roy L. Combs, Viola M. Combs Rawson, Dorothy M. Combs, Ernest S. Combs, and Pearline Combs Carney; and her half- siblings, Evon Combs Kimmons, Junior Combs, Roger Combs, and Teresa Combs Butler.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 7, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, located at 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, with the Reverend Kenneth L. Haftorson officiating. Burial will follow at Rupert Cemetery.

Family and friends will be received at the funeral home from 5 until 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 6, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, prior to the funeral.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/GmC9r09CoRY.